Pineapple Express

Rating – **

Throughout Pineapple Express some solid laughs are interrupted by misjudged graphic violence. It’s like Dude Where’s My Car with a sadistic edge. Unlike gems like Shaun of the Dead which perfectly blends gore with comedy, the tone is all over the place. It feels odd to conclude some light-hearted comic banter by shooting a guy in the stomach or burning half his face off with a coffee pot! There are plenty of funny moments but the story meanders and by the final act it has descended into a bloody shootout. After last years excellent double bill of Knocked Up and Superbad, this is a step backwards for the Apatow dynasty.